Sena Needs a Girlfriend
by kumori.no.hi
Summary: That's what Mamori thinks. Too much football isn't healthy for Sena, right? He needs a distraction, aka a girlfriend. Mamori is ready to hook him up with the Perfect Girl, but little does she know that Sena is already involved in a relationship... Sena/?
1. The Plan

**Sena Needs a Girfriend!  
**

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

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Chapter 1: The Plan  
_American Football. This couldn't be healthy for little Sena, not at all._

_.  
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It was a regular day at Deimon High. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, and nothing indicated at the diabolic plan one Anezaki Mamori was planning.

No, nothing at all.

Mamori stood at the sidelines of the school's field, watching members of the Devil Bats, the school's amefuto team, practiced. She watched as the young high school boys toiled and worked, determined to win their next game, the game after that, and eventually, the championship.

It was a far goal, many thought, but the growth that the team was showing made the goal reachable. It _might_ just happen, Mamori conceded.

Her eyes narrowed, focusing on one particular team member. Well, no, he wasn't really a _team_ team member, just the secretary. He ran around the field, fetching water and towels and whatnot for the other members. Yes, she was watching Kobayakawa Sena.

If Mamori had a little brother, it would be him. Bumbling around and always bullied, she was always there to protect the dear child.

How he had gotten into American football, she honestly didn't know. Even her persuading talk to him about quitting the team hadn't left enough of a mark to make him agree. And so she herself had taken on the team's manager duties. All for Sena. She would protect him, no matter what.

But now, _all_ Sena thought about was football. He talked, he ate, he slept _football_. And Mamori was getting restless. This couldn't be healthy for little Sena, not at all.

And so, Anezaki Mamori made up her mind to do something about it.

_--_

_--  
_

Sena sat down on a bench, wiping the sweat off of his face. Normally, he'd be in disguise as Eyeshield 21, practicing along with everyone else, but that day, Hiruma had told him not to, forcing him to do secretarial duties.

_Flashback_

_"Ke, fucking shrimp, no practice for you today," Hiruma said as Sena entered the club locker room. He'd been about to put on his uniform, but paused._

_"Eh? Why, Hiruma-senpai?" the puzzled boy asked._

_The reply was a fierce kick and a "Don't question me!" Sena squeaked and complied._

_"Pretend to be a secretary. The fucking manager is getting suspicious," Hiruma ordered. "Can you do that?" Sena nodded. Hiruma then added as an afterthought, "Oh and don't think you're getting out of practicing, fucking shrimp. You're making up today's time tomorrow, doubled!" The blonde then left the room, laughing his trademark laugh._

_And this all scared poor Sena out of his wits._

_--  
_

_--_

So now the little runningback sat on a sideline bench, staring at the field wistfully. He didn't exactly _like_ going through the terrible torture Hiruma claimed to be "practice," but Sena found that he somehow missed the workout.

Not that what he was doing right now wasn't a workout. Who knew that running around with drinks and towels could be so much exercise?

Sena leaned back and sighed. He was about to get up for another round of offering refreshments, but stopped when a shadow fell over him. Looking up, he saw Mamori.

"Hello Mamori-nee," he greeted, smiling at his sister-figure. That odd glint in her eyes couldn't possibly be something bad, could it?

"Hello Sena-kun," the girl replied back sweetly. A little _too_ sweetly, Sena noticed. But this was Mamori-nee, right? She wouldn't do anything to harm him.

Mamori took a seat next to Sena, and looked into his eyes seriously. Sena glanced around nervously, wondering what in the world could be happening. "Um, Mamori-nee?"

Mamori blinked. "Oh, sorry Sena-kun. I was just thinking about something." She smiled again.

Sena sweatdropped.

"So, Sena-kun," Mamori started, and Sena just couldn't shake off a foreboding feeling. "Tell me, have you thought about things other than football recently?"

Oh. So that's what this was about. "Er, of course I have, Mamori-nee! I've been working on my studies very much! Ah, would you like to see my last math exam? I g– "

Mamori cut him off. "No, Sena-kun, I was thinking more… _relationship_-wise."

It was Sena's turn to blink. Tentatively, he said, "I have plenty of friends now, if that's what you're talking about, Mamori-nee."

Mamori shook her head no, leaving a very confused Sena. Sighing, she said, "Sena, you know that you're like a little brother to me, right?" Sena nodded. "And that I always think of what's best for you, right?" Sena nodded, but this time a little hesitantly.

Mamori beamed. It was time to lay it all out now.

"Sena, I think it's time you've gotten a girlfriend."

.

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A/N: Hello! This was just an idea that popped up one day, hope you like it! Feedback is appreciated :)


	2. The Setup

**Sena Needs a Girfriend!  
**

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

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Chapter 2: The Setup  
_This couldn't be what he thought it was, could it?_

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* * *

Sena was shocked. No, more than shocked. What Mamori-nee was proposing… No, no way. He expressed his opinion to Mamori, who simply chuckled and told him not to worry. Was that a slightly demonic tone he detected in her voice?

For the next few days, Sena couldn't help but be uneasy. What was Mamori-nee planning?

_--_

_--  
_

_Now, how to go about this_, Mamori thought gleefully to herself. Just hooking Sena up with a stranger wasn't the best of ideas, she knew. It would probably scare poor little Sena. So how?

As Mamori sat in class, she thought. And thought. And thought. And finally, she came up with:

_Why not set up a date?_

Mamori could introduce the two people to each other. It would be a perfect opportunity for Sena to get to know the girl, whoever she was. And of course, she couldn't _tell_ the two that it was a date. Well, maybe the girl, but definitely not Sena.

_A perfect plan_, Mamori concluded. _Now, all that's left is to find the "perfect girl."_

_--_

_--  
_

When Sena went to school the next day, he knew he shouldn't have woken up from bed. Mamori-nee was _kindly_ waiting for him at the school entrance, carefully ignoring the leering stares some students sent her way. And Sena would have believed her motive to be a good one, if not for that odd gleam in her eyes again…

"Sena-kun!" Mamori called. Sena sighed, and put on the best smile he could manage at the moment.

"Ohayou, Mamori-nee."

Mamori was almost bouncing up and down with excitement, Sena noted. He'd never really seen her like this, except when she was around a certain store's cream puffs…

"Sena-kun! Ne, Sena-kun, could you do Mamori-nee a favor?" Mamori had a pleading look in her eyes, and Sena couldn't possibly say no.

"O-of course, b-"

Sena was cut off as Mamori squealed, "Thank you so much, Sena-kun!" she whipped out a sheet of paper and said, "Meet me here at noon on Saturday, okay? And dress nicely. I have to get to class now, so I'll see you later!" With that, Mamori gave a little wave and went to class, leaving the boy staring off at her retreating back, confused about the whole thing.

Blinking out of his reverie, Sena took a good look at the paper Mamori had handed to him. Scribbled on it was the address for a café not too far from his house.

_Noon…_

_Dress nicely…_

_Girlfriend…_

Sena's eyes widened. This couldn't be what he thought it was, could it?

Mamori-nee was asking _him_ out on a _date_?

_--_

_--  
_

The whole day, Sena was in a state of befuddlement. He couldn't even concentrate on the history exam he had that day.

_Ah, okaa-san will have something to say about that score_, he thought ruefully.

But the worse came at football practice after school. Hiruma was hard on his case, aiming his machine gun at Sena and shooting ruthlessly, just for running 4.3 seconds on his 40-yard dash instead of the usual 4.2.

Really.

After practice, Sena couldn't help but flop on the locker room bench and sigh. Ever the helpful friend, Monta sat down next to him, eyes curious.

"Oi, Sena, what's the matter? All day you've been in depression MAX!"

Sena smiled at his friend's familiar antics. Then he realized, why not tell Monta his troubles? He could help him figure it all out, right?

And so the runningback told Monta what was on his mind, not noticing his friend's face going paler and paler.

"Wait, so Mamori-san asked you on a _date_?"

"Er, I think so…"

"_Mukkyahh_!" Monta buried his face in his hands. Sena frowned, and then remembered that the receiver had a more-than-obvious crush on his sister-figure.

Wincing, Sena tried to repair the damage done. "Eh, eh, but Monta! I don't really want to be there, you know! Mamori-nee is more like a sister to me than anything else!" As Monta continued his wailing, Sena desperately blurted out, "So! D'you mind coming with me on Saturday?"

Monta looked up. "Eh?"

"I mean, she didn't say anything about bringing friends along! I'm sure she won't mind, and it'll be a lot more fun!" Sena added.

The receiver brightened up considerably, and now even had hearts in his eyes, looking off into the distance, no doubt in a daydream. "Ah, to spend an afternoon together with the beautiful Mamori-san…"

"Ah, here's the address of the café, and Mamori-nee said to be there at noon, remember?"

"Yes, yes, of course…" Monta was still happily in his fantasy.

Sena smiled with relief. The matter was closed, and he was safe. For now.

.

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A/N: Muahaha... Alright, so the action should pick up in the next chapter or so. xD

Okay, this story is, as of right now, _slash_. Unless you have other preference, that is. I'm not sure about the pairing yet, so, my lovely reviewers, your input would be much appreciated! Sankyuu!

Oh, one more thing: the next couple of chapters will be slow in posting; I've got tons of studying to do, with my finals and tests and regents and whatever. -gag- So yeah, I'll try my best :)


	3. First Date

**Sena Needs a Girfriend!  
**

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

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Chapter 3: First Date  
_"I was hoping for a little… teatime get-together."_

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Unknown to Sena and Monta, there was someone else, not inside the locker room with them, but standing right outside the door. And that someone else was standing in the shadow of the club's wall, ear eagerly pressed against the plaster, eavesdropping on the conversation.

Upon hearing Sena's solution to the dilemma with Mamori, the figure smirked.

A date, huh?

He would just have to tag along on this so-called date. Secretly, of course. Without being noticed.

Because that was always the best way.

_--_

_--  
_

"Dress nicely, dress nicely… what does she mean by dress nicely?" Sena fretted. It was Saturday at last, the day of the "date." He was in front of his closet, debating what to wear. If he went for formal, the most formal thing he owned was probably his school uniform. But you could dress casually and it could be considered nice, right?

Right?

What did Mamori-nee mean by _nice _anyway?

He had already spent a whole half-hour wondering _what in the world_ he should wear, and so far he wasn't getting very far at all. And they say that girls take forever getting ready for dates!

Sena ended up wearing a comfortable pair of khaki slacks, with a light blue un-tucked button-down shirt. After a moment's thought, he slipped on his school shoes, figuring that what he wore on his feet didn't really matter. Dubiously giving himself a once-over in the mirror, he decided he was decent and headed out.

Taking out the address Mamori had given him, Sena set off with a light jog. _That way, Hiruma-san won't scold me for not practicing… right?_ he thought nervously.

Rounding the corner of a block, the runningback's eyes bugged out at the sight of a somewhat familiar figure walking ahead of him. _Wait a minute… wasn't that …_

"Monta!" Sena called out. The figure turned around. _Oh dear Kami… it really is him!_

The monkey-like receiver was decked out in – lo and behold – a _tuxedo_. A crisp white dress shirt under a stiff jacket and trousers; he even had a smoothly ironed handkerchief in the jacket's breast pocket. "Hi Sena!" he said cheerfully.

Sena just gaped at him. "Is… is that a _rose_?" Sure enough, Monta was even holding a bloodred rose between his fingers. It was actually quite an elegant thing, with a bright stem and deep green leaves.

Monta had a mushy smile on his face. "Yes, didn't you know? Red roses are given to the one you _love_. I _love _Mamori-san. I shall present this to Mamori-san, and she will be happy MAX!"

"… If you say so." Sena frowned. "But you know we're just going to a café, right? Nothing too… _fancy_," he said, looking over Monta's tux. "Plus, aren't you hot?" Sena started fanning himself with his hand. He wasn't even wearing any thick clothes, and he was already sweating!... of course, the jogging may have contributed to that, but still!

"It's worth it," was the solemn reply.

Sena sweatdropped, and not just because of the weather.

_--_

_--  
_

Two blocks later, the duo found themselves in front of a tidy little coffee shop, the pale yellow and green awning proudly stating

_Café Aoi._

"Er, is this the right place?" Sean asked nervously.

"Why're you asking me? Aren't you the one with the address paper?" Monta retorted, just as nervous.

"Ehehe, you're right."

With much trepidation, the two walked up to the door and went in.

Across the street, however, out of a clump of oh-so-conveniently placed bushes poked a pair of binoculars. A pair of binoculars with a pair of eyes staring out of the droopy shrubbery, alternating between looking at Sena and looking at Monta. The binoculars then swung upward to look at the coffee shop's awning.

_Café_ _Aoi_?

This would be fun.

_--_

_--  
_

"Hello, how may I help you sirs?" the hostess asked kindly, eyeing the duo.

Sena stammered out, "Eh, um, we're here to meet… to meet our friends!"

The hostess raised an eyebrow while Monta glanced around the café. Maybe he _was_ a little overdressed. Everywhere he looked, couples were leaning over tables, giving soft kisses, and whispering sweet nothings. _Maybe that could one day be me and Mamori-san!_

"Sena-kun! Sena! Over here!" a clear, musical voice called out. Monta knew that voice. He whipped around…

Mamori was standing next to a booth, waving. Dressed in a casual yet elegant pale yellow sundress, Monta couldn't help but ogle. With a speed that Sena would be proud of, he rushed over to the girl.

"Ah Mamori-san, it is such a pleasure to meet you!" he gushed, bowing and bringing out his rose. He held it in front of him and looked up…

"EHH?"

He was face-to-face with a blushing girl. A girl that wasn't Mamori. A girl, who in fact, looked quite theopposite of Mamori, with her long, wavy, ebony locks and short, petite frame.

Sena came up from behind him. "Ohayou Mamori-nee!" He then noticed the other person in their company.

Before he could greet the red-faced girl, Mamori spoke, "Ah, Sena! You came right on time! Well-dressed, too… and with a friend, I see." She raised an eyebrow at Sena, her facial expression saying, _I'll be expecting an explanation later_.

Sena squeaked.

"Well anyway," Mamori continued, "This young lady is Kawamura Aoki. She's also is a first year at Deimon." She gestured towards Aoki. "I was hoping for a little… teatime get-together." With the last phrase, Mamori's eyes narrowed.

"… Huh?" Sena and Monta said in unison. So this wasn't a date with Mamori?

For the first time, Aoki spoke, piping up, "Yes, Sena-kun, I was really looking forward to meeting you!" She smoothed out her light-blue dress, a soft smile on her face. The only problem was, she wasn't even looking at Sena. Her dreamy gaze was trained on Monta.

The football receiver noticed this. "Er, sorry Kawamura-san, Sena's over there." He poked a finger at Sena.

Aoki's eyes widened. She looked at Sena, mouth quirked up in a slight expression of annoyance, and… was that distaste? "So if _you're_ Sena…" she murmured. "Who are you?" The question was directed towards Monta.

"Me? I am Raimon Tarou, world's greatest receiver! But everyone calls me Monta, a nickname after the famous Joe Montana! No ball can escape me; I always do my best MAX!"

Sena and Mamori face-palmed, while Aoki stared with sparkly eyes. _Trust Monta to be the loudmouth_.

Aoki was about to respond to the receiver, but Mamori interrupted. "Why don't we all sit down?" she suggested, voice just _a little_ _bit_ strained.

"But Ma–"

"A fantastic idea!" Aoki said brightly, cutting off Monta's sentence and reaching out to tug his arm. She pulled him down to sit in the booth. Mamori grumpily slid into the seat across from them, Sena following.

Just then, a waiter came up. "What would you like to drink?" he inquired politely.

"Ah, a coffee please," Aoki said. "He'll have a coffee, too." She gestured at Monta, who gaped at her like a fish out of water.

"And you, miss?"

Mamori gave a smile, even more strained than the last. "I'd like an iced tea."

"Sir?"

Sena blinked. "Er… water's fine."

"Oh, we're also ready to order, waiter-san," Aoki butted in. She rattled off a list of snackfoods, enough for all four teens.

The waiter scribbled down the dished and left, and Aoki immediately started chatting with Monta.

"Monta-kun! You know, you don't have to address me so formally, just plain _Aoki_ will be fine. Or, you can call me Aoki-_chan_ if you want." She batted her long eyelashes.

"Er…" Monta looked like a cornered rabbit… ahem, _monkey_.

Sena watched the scene amazedly. He glanced up at Mamori, who didn't find the situation as amusing as he did.

"Sena," she hissed, "What in the world were you thinking!?"

The said boy chuckled sheepishly. "It's… kinda a long story, Mamori-nee."

"Really now." Mamori had her "stern" face on. "I th–"

""Oh really!?" came a squeal from Aoki. Flirting shamelessly with an uncomfortable Monta, it seemed that the two had been talking about the Devilbats' latest game. "Oh, I _have_ to go see your next game. When is it again?"

"Er, next week." Monta shot a pleading glance at Mamori, who ignored him, focusing on Sena. Sena sympathized with the receiver, but better Monta than himself, right?

The waiter returned with drinks and food, and Aoki valiantly attempted to feed Monta a sandwich.

"Ah! It's okay, Aoki-san, I can eat by myself!"

" But Monta-kun…!"

"No thank you!"

"Would you like some cake instead?"

Mamori cast the flirts an irritating look. "As I was saying, I demand a clear explanation for all this, Sena!" With a sigh, the boy complied, telling his sister-figure his side of the misunderstanding, face flushing redder with each word.

Mamori's face was red, too, but not out of embarrassment. "_Ahhahaha_! Oh Sena, you thought this was a date with _me_?" Trying to stifle her snorts of laughter, she shook her head.

"Stop laughing, Mamori-nee! It… it was a logical conclusion!"

A moment later, Mamori calmed down. "Ah, well that's okay. I suppose this is my fault for not making it clear. I originally wanted you to meet Aoki-san, and get to know her," she admitted. "But I don't think that went over so well. She' absolutely _smitten_ with Monta-kun."

Sena nodded, wincing as he witnessed Aoki trying to make Monta eat a cookie.

After a little while, the food was gone, and it was time to leave. The four exited the café and said their goodbyes, which Monta was _extremely_ grateful for.

"Er, bye Aoki-san! I have to go now! Meeting you was fun MAX!" he said hurriedly, lying through his teeth. Turning to Mamori, he said more politely, "Uh, mamori-san, I was wondering if you'd like me to walk y–"

"Monta-kun! Walk me home please!" Aoki fastened herself onto Monta, hugging his arm. She had a pout on her face and pleading puppy eyes… and Monta, however much he tried, could not refuse.

"... Fine."

"Thank you Monta-kun!"

And so the two walked off (or dragged off, in Monta's case), leaving Mamori and Sena behind.

Sena heaved a sigh of relief. It was finally over. Funny, he hadn't noticed how nervous he was before… It was even worse than facing Hiruma, for Kami's sake!... _Wait, I take that back. I bet my karma's going to come and bite me in the butt for thinking that_.

Mamori turned to Sena kindly. "I'm really sorry Sena, it was a bit of a waste of an early afternoon, right? But I guess you can go home and work on homework…"

Sena checked his watch. _2:00_. They had really spent a long time in the café. A really long time… Sena's eyes widened.

"… but I promise that I'll try to find a better person for you to meet, okay Sena?" Mamori looked down at her friend. "Sena? Sena, what's wrong?"

_Oh no oh no oh no oh no!_ Glancing around jumpily, he said, "Ah, Mamori-nee, I forgot I had a d– I mean!, an _appointment_ with a friend."

Mamori blinked. Then she smiled enthusiastically, face bright with interest. "Sena! Oh I'm so glad you're getting to know more people! Who is this friend? I would like to meet him – or is it a her? Oh, I–"

"Sorry Mamori-nee, I have to go!" And Sena took off.

Mamori pouted. "Really, would it be too much to ask for you to tell me about your friends?" she called after him. Sighing, she walked home by herself, muttering to herself about how she would plan Sena's next date.

A couple blocks away, a figure stood by the entrance gate of Deimon High School, frowning at his watch.

_Why is Sena taking so long?_

_.  
_

* * *

A/N: Eh. Hi again! Sorry for taking so long to update... I honestly don't like how this chapter turned out, considering how long it took me to post it (it's longer than the other 2, too). Actually, the first part was supposed to be in the previous chapter, but I forgot to put it in, hehe. Expect the next chapter to be either next week or the week after, cuz I still have finals/regents to take, sigh.

Anyway, here's the deal: Yes, I have decided the pairing, and no, it isn't HiruSena (sorry guys). -evil smile- D'you want me to tell you the pairing, or should I make you guess, muahahahaha... lol

Aaaand now onto happier things! Well, not-so-happy in my opinion. THE MANGA ENDED! -cries- Is anyone else sad? The ending wasn't exactly my ideal way to finish but I guess it was alright.

Sorry for this longer-than-usual A/N, and see you next time!


	4. Interlude of Supposed Normalcy

**Sena Needs a Girfriend!  
**

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

* * *

.

Chapter 4: Interlude of Supposedly Normalcy  
"Come on. I _insist_."

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* * *

Mamori sighed to herself. Her beautifully laid out plan had Gone. All. Wrong. The girl let out a screech of frustration.

"How in the world am I to protect Sena from the fatal vestiges of _football_?!" she said aloud dramatically. Sprawled out on top of her bed at home, the girl pondered on how she would accomplish her goal.

Who would have known that Aoki-chan, the daughter of a family friend, would choose Monta over her precious Sena? _Not that Monta is a bad guy_, Mamori reminded herself. But still!

"Ah, what's done is done," the girl said to herself glumly. "Now, onto the next victim… er, I mean, potential girlfriend…!"

Sifting through her brain (a smart yet devious mind she had), Mamori thought hard. Who was good enough for Sena? Who was Sena good enough for? Should the girl be older than or younger than Sena? Looks were not as heavy a factor as personality, but it did help if she was pretty.

Struck by a sudden idea, Mamori's hand shot out to her bedside table, scrabbling for her cellphone. Scrolling through contacts, she eventually found the right one. With a final jab of her finger, she pressed _CALL_.

_Ring… ring… _

_ring… ring…_

"_Moshi moshi…_" a sleepy voice drawled. Mamori mentally hit herself on the head. She'd forgotten it was Sunday morning. _Very early_ Sunday morning.

"Eh, ohayou gozaimasu!" Mamori bubbled guiltily. "Sorry for waking you, this just couldn't wait." Oh, what lies. "You see, I was wondering…"

_--_

_--  
_

The week passed by with nary a hitch, and for that, Sena was happy. Well, there were no _major_ hitches, not unless you counted a smitten Aoki attached to a screaming Monta's arm and dragging him around the school campus ("Sena, HELP! Her homeroom is right next to mine! HE-ELP _MAX_!").

Yep, time passed by quite smoothly.

And then one bright Wednesday morning, as Sena set out for school, he was joined by a chipper Mamori.

"Ohayou, Sena-kun!"

"… Ohayou, Mamori-nee." Now Sena loved Mamori, in an elder sibling sort of way, but sometimes she managed to thoroughly creep him out.

"Ne, Sena-kun," the girl started. "I have this friend, you see, and she really wants to meet you."

Eyes wide, Sena shook his head. "Mamo–"

"Please?" Mamori cut him off and looking down, gave the boy a pleading expression, puppy eyes and all.

Sena sighed. "Is this another one of your 'dates?'"

"No! of course not! Why would you think that?" denied Mamori with a vehement shake of her head. "It's just… a little meeting. I told her all about you, and she asked if I could bring you along the next time we saw each other. Yes. Absolutely. This is _not_ a date. Not in _any_ way whatsoever."

_Are you trying to convince me, or are you trying to convince yourself?_ Sena thought glumly.

"Fine," he finally conceded, wincing at Mamori's squeal of excitement. As Mamori enthusiastically told him the directions to where the three would meet, Sena wondered, _Did I even have a choice in the matter?_

"Oh, and one more thing," Mamori added in a stern tone. "Do _not_ invite Monta again. Only Kami knows will happen if he comes along, and frankly, I just won't be able to stand it. So don't tell him to tag along. Or anyone else, for that matter. Do _not_."

Sena sighed, but chuckled inwardly. Monta would be crushed.

Her prepping done, Mamori dragged Sena off to school, with Sena's face looking like one of the condemned.

_--_

_--  
_

Despite the earlier incident, the day's overall mood was not dampened, and went by quickly. Surprisingly, football practice was successful, with Hiruma having the team practicing all types of complicated plays. The end result was almost always a bumped and bruised Sena making it somewhere past the touchdown line, as well as grunts of "good job" all around, and Mamori insisting on checking "Eyeshield-kun's" injuries. Which Sena kindly refused, of course. But the bumps and bruises were really not a problem, if it meant that the team would win their next game. Which Hiruma certainly would make sure would happen.

The said team captain was currently inside the clubhouse, tapping away at his laptop. He'd gotten _excellent _blackmail material, if he did say so himself.

It was after practice, and almost everyone had already changed and gone home. _Almost_ everyone, with the exception barging into the clubroom at that very moment, grinning, sweating, and out of breath from a vigorous practice.

"Whew, that was go– ah! Hiruma-san!"

The devil incarnate looked up at whoever was bold enough to interrupt him. The uniform-clad figure was glancing around nervously as Hiruma put on a crafty grin.

"Why hello there. I was just looking through some very… _interesting_ photos. Would you like to take a look?"

The other boy blinked. _What?_

"Come on. I _insist_."

Hiruma was acting ver-r-r-ry strangely. After being around the blonde for most of the year, he knew that a considerate Hiruma was a bad one. Since when did the captain let people look at his laptop anyway?

Hiruma raised an eyebrow, and his prey began sweating buckets. The boy made his way over, dreading what he would see, but fearing Hiruma's wrath more.

With one eye squinched shut, he peeked at the laptop screen… and his mouth dropped open.

Pictures. Of him. And of Sena. Last Saturday. _Together_.

The boy turned to Hiruma, aghast. "You! How did you –!"

Hiruma only laughed.

_--_

_--  
_

Sena lay at home on his bed, thinking. "Mamori-nee and her dates," he said exasperatedly. "How –" he searched for the right word "– troublesome."

The little appointment was on – surprise, surprise – Saturday. Again. He really didn't want to go. Weekends were for sleeping in, staying up late, jogging, hanging with friends… not that Mamori wasn't his friend, but for some reason, Sena couldn't picture himself playing videogames with Mamori like he would with Monta. Mamori wouldn't yell obscene profanities at the evil rampaging alien monster on the TV screen, that was certain. Plus, there were more _important_ things to do on Saturday. With more important _people_.

But no. He had to go to a date that was oh-so-kindly set up for him. And of all places, it was at…

"The amusement park," Sena groaned. Boy, was he screwed.

.

* * *

A/N: Apologies! So, so sorry for this sorry excuse of an update. -cowers- I _could_ go on about my computer crash and blackout and whatnot, but i doubt you guys want to know about that, hehe. So! Moving on... Not much action in this short chapter, just some setting up, and (hopefully) some humor. I was on a roll reading crackfics, and I hope none of that showed in the writing :) But next chapter: amusement park!

Just a shoutout to everyone who reviewed (I didn't get to reply to everyone, gomen!) and/or put this story on alert. Thanks!

And have a happy 4th of July =P


	5. Chapter 5

**Sena Needs a Girfriend!  
**

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

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Chapter 5:  
"_Next stop, Tokyo Disneyland. Please stand clear of the closing doors._"

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* * *

"_Sena. How long is this going to go on?_"

"Sorry."

"_I am not asking for apologies. I only want to know when."_

"I'm not really sure. Mamori-nee seems a bit determined to find me a… a girlfriend."

_"… A bit determined? I would think that setting up two dates is more than just a bit – it sounds like borderline insanity. To me, that is_."

"Agh! She's just –!"

"_I know, I know_."

"You don't have to say it so matter-of-factly though."

"_Sorry_."

"…"

"_…_"

"…"

"_So… how long are you going to be on this… date?"_

"Don't say it like it's a bad thing! – although it is… – erm, I don't know. But if I know Mamori-nee and her friends, it'll probably take up most of the day."

_"… Do you want to meet up afterwards?"_

"Sure."

"_Um, we can jog, if you want, and maybe eat dinner, and then maybe we cou_–"

"Yes."

"_And I suppose we cou–_ _Ah, ok… I'll meet you at the usual place?"_

"Sure… Oh, hey, I have to go now, need to feed Pitt and then do homework."

"… _Alright then. Love you_."

"Love you more. 'Bye."

A tone signaled the conversation's end, and Sena flipped his cellphone shut. Sighing, he pushed off from where he was leaning on the kitchen counter and went to fetch the cat food.

_--_

_--  
_

Thursday. Lunchtime.

Sena was chatting with Mamori while eating their bentos in the schoolyard. With a sudden skid and yell, Monta ran up to them, eyes wild.

"Where have you two been? I've been looking for you guys for the longest MAX!"

The addressed two looked at each other, then looked at Monta. "Wha'sa ma'r?" Sena said through a mouthful of rice.

"Hiruma-san!" the receiver practically yelled. Students nearby ran for cover as they heard the devil's name being said.

_Kinda reminds me of the first day of school_, Sena reminisced as he swallowed. To Monta, he asked, "What about Hiruma-san?"

Monta crouched down in front of his friends. He leaned his head in and said in a hushed whisper. "Yesterday after practice, Hiruma showed me pictures on his laptop!"

Sena and Mamori leaned away from the boy, eyebrows twitching. Did the boy ever think before speaking? "Um, what _kind_ of pictures, Monta-kun?" Mamori inquired. Under her breath, she muttered, "Do I really want to know?"

Monta blinked, and after a second's pause, he coughed out a laugh. "Oh, no! Not anything _bad_, Mamori-san!" he assured. "Not at all. It's just that," whispering again, he continued, "Hiruma-san somehow got pictures of us on Saturday!"

"Saturday? Like, last Saturday at the café?"

"Yes, Mamori-san. With Kawamura-san and everything," Monta replied with a shudder.

Mamori frowned. She didn't quite understand what the big deal was. "I know Hiruma-kun's a bit big on the idea of blackmail, but there really isn't much he can blackmail us with, ne?" she comforted Monta.

Monta paused for a moment, thinking. Then, "No, but he _implied_ something _very bad_. Very _bad_ MAX!" He emphasized this with a vehement shake of the head.

Sena, feeling a bit out of the loop, asked curiously, "What d'you mean?"

"Hiruma-san _insinuated_ –" at this point, both Sena and Mamori were surprised Monta even knew a word like 'insinuated' "– that Sena and I were, you know…"

Monta's little audience sighed. "No, we don't know."

Monta scowled uncharacteristically, crossing his fingers together and holding them up. "He thought me and Sena were! – you know."

Sena, slowly turning beet red, asked shakily, "H-he thought we were… _together_?"

_--_

_--  
_

_Flashback_

_With one eye squinched shut, he peeked at the laptop screen… and his mouth dropped open._

_Pictures. Of him. And of Sena. Last Saturday. Together._

_ The boy turned to Hiruma, aghast. "You! How did you –!"_

_Hiruma only laughed. "Maybe you should start watching your back, kekeke!"_

_On the screen, zoomed in enough for all the world to see, was a picture of Monta in his tuxedo holding a rose out… towards Sena._

_"That's n-not what it looks like!"_

_"Really, fucking monkey? Looks like a damn confession and proposal all in one."_

_"NO WAY MAX!"_

_"Coulda fooled me…"_

_Somewhat lost in panic, Monta tried to grab the laptop to delete the pictures… but stopped when he noticed something. And it was a good thing he stopped, or else Hiruma would have let loose his machine guns on the monkey for putting grubby hands on his stuff._

_"Eh? Hiruma-san? There are more pictures!"_

_"No fucking really?!" Hiruma said in mock surprise. With a roll of his eyes, he made to close the laptop, but not before Monta saw some of the other files, which included photos of him, Sena, Mamori, and Aoi at the café._

_--_

_--  
_

Mamori burst out laughing, and the boys threw her scandalized looks. "Oh sorry, sorry! But this is even funnier than when Sena thought I was asking him out on a date!" She continued to laugh, tears of mirth threatening to fall.

Sena turned to Monta. "Well, I'm sure Hiruma-san was just teasing," he said in a voice the sounded more confident than he felt.

"He was just teasing," Monta repeated. "But why did he have the pictures? For blackmail?"

At the implications of Monta's last statement, Sena and Mamori shuddered.

With a sigh, Monta finally sat down, settling himself to enjoy the remainder of his lunch period. Alas, it was not to be.

"MON-CHAAAN!"

"Eh?" Monta looked around.

"Mon-chan, you _promised_ you would eat lunch with me!" A pouting Kawamura Aoki was suddenly in front of him, tugging the football receiver's arm.

"… I promised? Wait, WHAT?" Monta didn't even have time to protest as was dragged off.

Aoki was relentless, cheerfully administering her (hopefully) unintentional torture, chatting amicably all the while: "I was looking for you everywhere, Mon-chan! I even made a very special bento for you to eat. Oh, you _must_ eat it! I want to see how you like it! OH! Didn't you say you had a football game sometime this week? When is it? I promise I'll cheer for you with all my heart!..." The infatuated girl's words faded with distance as the pair made their way across the yard.

"_Gah_, no!"

… Yet Monta's screams could be heard in every corner of the school.

Sena, recovering from the slight shock of seeing his best friend practically kipnapped (or was that monkey-napped?), turned to Mamori with a puzzled expression. "Mamori-nee, we have a game this week?"

Mamori, who was just finishing off her own bento, shook her head. "No, that would just be _Mon-chan_ running his mouth," she giggled.

"Ah, I see." As Sena's attention returned to his lunch, he threw a straying thought in Monta's direction. _Good luck getting out of this… Mon-chan_.

_--_

_--  
_

Friday, usually filled with end-of-the-week hype, was a blur for Sena as each second that ticked by was one second closer to his dreaded _date_.

And then it was Saturday.

In a casual ensemble of t-shirt, jeans and sneakers, the boy said goodbye to Pitt and, checking the clock (it was 9 AM), walked out of the house. His feet dragged on the ground as he made his way to the train station, all the while worrying.

_I'm going to an amusement park. No, not just any amusement park, Tokyo Disneyland. The most popular theme park in all of Japan, probably. There is most likely going to be a lot of people. Crowds. And I bet it's going to be re-ee-eally expensive. Did I bring my wallet? Am I going to have to spend a lot? Is Mamori-nee going to make me pay!?_

Sena's thoughts were on the verge of spiraling out of control when a voice behind him called:

"Yaa~! Sena!"

The boy blinked. "Eh?" He saw a shadow approach overhead, momentarily blocking the sun. Looking up, he barely missed being hit by a pair of rollerblades. "…Suzuna!?"

"Hi Sena!" The girl landed smoothly in front of Sena, then turned around to face him. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Ehm…" Sena struggled to find an answer. If he told her he was going to meet Mamori-nee, she'd probably want to tag along. If he said he was just taking a walk, she'd want to "keep him company," or talk his ears off. And there was _no way_ he was telling her he was going on a date! He'd never hear the end of it.

"Nothing much, what have you been doing?" he said quickly, moving the conversation topic to her. "I haven't seen you around for a while." And it was true. She hadn't been to the Devil Bats' practices for at least a week.

Suzuna smiled sweetly. "I've been… busy."

Sena, deciding that he didn't really want to know what the cheerleader was up to, nodded, asking, "Mm, so what are you doing here?"

"Groceries!" Suzuna held up a plastic bag Sena just noticed she was holding. "Baka aniki was s'posed to do the shopping this week, but he forgot." She made a face. "Makes me do everything, I swear," she muttered.

Sena chuckled.

"Well anyways, I'd better get going before the milk spoils! Byeee Sena, see you around!" And with that, the girl skated off.

"'Bye, Suzuna!" Sena called after her, relieved that Suzuna hadn't asked him any more questions. Sighing, he continued on his way.

_--_

_--  
_

"Nii-san is such an idiot," Suzuna grumbled to herself. "If this food goes bad before I get home…" She trailed off, trying to think of a suitable threat.

Suzuna's legs were quick and efficient as she passed houses and cars alike. Skating on a sidewalk and winding her way around people while whistling quietly to herself, the energetic girl happened to look up at the chain-link fence lining the road… and did a double-take as she recognized a familiar head of blond. _Eh? Isn't that…_

"You-nii!" Suzuna exclaimed, skidding to a halt.

And indeed it was Hiruma, everyone's favorite Deimon devil. Lounging on the chain-link fence as if it was something he did every day (but who are we to say that he doesn't), Hiruma was looking through a pair of binoculars quite intently while chewing his usual bubble gum.

Glancing down at Suzuna, Hiruma paused, as if wondering whether or not he should reciprocate the girl's greeting, and then decided to just return to his gazing.

Suzuna rolled up to the foot of the fence. "Yaa, You-nii, whatcha doin'?"

"Watching people," was the short reply.

"Ehh? Why?"

Hiruma glanced at Suzuna again, shooting her a half-irritated, half-amused look. As if she didn't know what he was doing… or, well, maybe she didn't. Blowing a bubble with his gum, he decided to enlighten her. "Blackmail."

Blackmail? But he was watching the _train station_. "… I see."

Figuring that her "You-nii" was too busy to provide her with entertainment, and that she should _really_ get home before the food rotted, or else she'd kick her baka aniki from here to next Tuesday because it was _so_ his fault…

Skating away, she yelled, "'Bye then!"

With a small _pop_, Hiruma's bubble gum bubble burst. "Hn."

_--_

_--  
_

Sena's train ride was relatively uneventful. Around him were numerous wailing babies and whining children and shushing mothers, as well as the sighing fathers and occasional rushing businessman. The train conductor's announcements at every stop just added to the awful din. Plus, for some strange reason, the boy felt like he was being watched. But that wasn't very likely, was it? Dear Kami, it was times like these when Sena _really_ hated the train.

"_Next stop, Tokyo Disneyland. Please stand clear of the closing doors._"

Sena breathed out a sigh of relief. Almost there.

The next time the doors opened, Sena was among the first ones out, a crowd rushing to follow. Taking his time getting to the theme park gates, Sena took a quick look around. Sure it was Saturday, and sure, it was practically summer with this heat, but why were there so many _people_?

From behind the gates, tall roller coasters and ferris wheels and food stands and games stands could be seen. _Gosh, Disneyland is really very big_, Sena thought. How was he supposed to find Mamori-nee here?

But just as he was thinking that maybe, just maybe, he could use the crowds as an excuse to chicken out of the date (yes, _chicken_ out, because there was no way to get out of this with dignity intact), an unmistakable voice hollered, "SENA!!"

Said boy flinched, ducking his head down and discreetly trying to find somewhere to run. _Dammit, I'm supposedly the light-speed runningback of Deimon, but I can't find an escape route out of here?!_

Sena felt a hand clap onto his shoulder. "Sena! Honestly, turn when you hear your name being called!" Sena turned. "By the way, you're late."

"Sorry, Mamori-nee." He was late? What time was he supposed to get to the theme park anyway? Sena certainly didn't remember. Checking his watch, he saw it was a little after 9:30. "Um, you see, I was on my way here, and I ran into Suzuna, and we chatted for a bit, and…" Sena was grasping for straws here, a bit desperately.

Mamori gave him a stern look, but no scolding, for which Sena was thankful. "Well, that doesn't really matter anymore, I guess. But anyway, let me introduce you to my friend! Although I think you two have met already." Was that a _joking_ tone in Mamori-nee's voice?

From behind Mamori a figure stepped, revealing a girl (or woman, Sena supposed) he had definitely met before.

A pair of white sunglasses with blue lenses holding back short and styled teal-colored hair, long white gloves reaching almost all the way up to her shoulders, accenting the collar of her pale yellow tank top, big innocent eyes the matched her hair, and a pouty mouth… it was…

A gloved hand was extended toward Sena. "Hi Sena-kun! We've met, but not really too formally. Sawai Juri, but everyone calls me Julie."

_What??_

Sena took the hand. "Ehehe, hajimemashite, Juri-san," he said. What was Mamori-nee _thinking_? And since when was she such close friends with the manager of the _Bando Spiders_!?

Unbeknownst to the tumult of thoughts inside his head, Juri slung an arm across the hapless Sena's shoulders. "Aw, just call me Julie-chan, Sena-kun, it's fine." With excitement in her voice, she continued, "Come on, let's go inside already. We're going to have lots of fun!" She dragged Sena to thetheme park entrance, with Mamori following, a smug smile on the girl's face.

_Lots of fun?_ Sena thought dryly. _Ri-i-ight_.

.

* * *

A/N: I'm such a liar. I said that this chapter would be about the actual date and stuff, and I totally meant to do that, but somehow I swear this story wrote itself. Really. Anyways, I also said that this chapter would be out sooner... did I say that? Oh well, maybe it was in my head... I meant to get this out much earlier, but my absence was quite fruitful! As an ES21fan, I realized it was quite disgraceful that I hadn't watched the anime. So, yeah, now I have 145 totally awesome episodes sitting on my hard drive! And I noticed weird things about how characters address each other. Sena calls Hiruma "Hiruma-san," not "-senpai." So I got all confused, and have decided that Monta will now call Hiruma "-san," whether or not he really does or not. Erm, with that said, I've gone back in the other chapters and fixed up some grammatical errors. Nothing major :)

Well, with the story: Oh noes, Sena's at Disneyland! What's gonna happen? Is Hiruma just _that _bored? And there was dialogue with Sena's boyfriend! It was really sappy, I know, and probably OOC, but I needed a dose of sap, thank you very much. I think one reason I took so long to write this is b/c I hadn't _really _decided the pairing. This was going to be a Juumonji/Sena, 'til... I decided not to? Er... yeah. Lol, in case you were wondering, this chapter isn't titled anything, and will probably stay that way, until I think of a suitable name. But my brain right now is totally shot.

So that's that. I want to say that I'll get the next chpt out asap, but no promises. Once again, thanks to everyone who reviewed/alerted this story! Luv you all! :3


	6. Second Attempt

**Sena Needs a Girfriend!  
**

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

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Chapter 6: Second Attempt  
_Oh dearest Kami, save me from this hellhole_, Sena prayed. _I'm getting such a headache_.

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* * *

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A smug smile on her face, Anezaki Mamori was happily following an overexuberant Juri and a less-than-excited Sena. So far, so good. Mamori's plan was _perfect_.

_Flashback_

_After the Deimon-Bando game, Mamori, being the manager of her team, had gone up to the manager of Bando to shake hands and whatnot, mainly because manners dictated so. Needless to say, after a few conversations, the girls hit it off, and became fast friends. From time to time, the two would chat on the phone for hours, go out for lunch on weekends, or go shopping together._

_When Mamori was trying to think of whom to pair Sena up with, she'd hit a road block. Aoi-chan, she'd thought, was prime girlfriend material for her self-appointed charge, or so it seemed. _

_Aoi was younger than Sena, delicate, and well mannered._

_But there were no common interests, no chemistry between them. For Kami's sake, they'd never even met before Mamori introduced them!_

_What if Mamori found someone completely different?_

_Juri was older than Sena, more mature-looking, and… well, her manners weren't __bad_, but the Bando manager could be very enthusiastic at times. Overly _enthusiastic._

_They were both into amefuto._

_And they knew each other._

_Realizing that Juri and Sena had a chance to (somehow) be drawn together, Mamori put her planning skills to work. _

_--_

_--  
_

_"_Moshi moshi___…_" a sleepy voice drawled. Mamori mentally hit herself on the head. She'd forgotten it was Sunday morning. Very early_ Sunday morning._

_"Eh, ohayou gozaimasu!" Mamori bubbled guiltily. "Sorry for waking you, this just couldn't wait." Oh, what lies. "You see, I was wondering…"_

_"Spit it out, or I'm going back to sleep, Mamo-chan."_

_"Aw, Julie-chan, you're so cranky in the morning," Mamori teased lightly before continuing, "So… I was wondering if you're free on Saturday."_

_From the other side of the phone line, Juri yawned. "Depends. What are you planning?"_

_"Well, I have some tickets to Disneyland…" A shrill squeal made Mamori jerk the cellphone away from her ear. Taking the noise as a yes, the diabolic girl smirked. "… But only if you agree to some conditions."_

_All traces of sleep gone from her voice, Juri asked suspiciously, "What conditions?"_

_"You know my friend Sena?"_

_"Kobayakawa Sena? Err, as in the secretary kid who's actually Eyeshield 21?"_

_"Yep. He's coming along too, and so I'd appreciate it a lot if you'd look after him while we're there."_

_Juri's voice took on a skeptical tone. "Why can't you do that?"_

_Mamori bit her lip. This was where she had to lay it on thick. "Well," she started, with just the _right _amount of desperation, "He's always been _awfully _attached to me, which isn't really a bad thing I suppose, but Sena's growing up and I think that maybe he should be a little more independent. Maybe if he had some more friends…"_

_Juri groaned. "Yeah, yeah, I get the idea. I just have to babysit him for the day, right? I knew you'd have some kind of weird terms for me to agree to," she accused._

_"So?"_

_Juri's sigh echoed through the phone as static. "Fine. Whatever. It'll still be fun, I guess! … Aah, but now that I'm watching over Sena-kun, I'll have to find someone to babysit Koutarou and Akaba…"_

_Mamori beamed. "Alright then, Saturday morning at nine?" Juri grunted an affirmative. "See you then!"_

_"Mmm, see you then. But right now I think I'll go back to sleep." The phone's dial tone told Mamori that Juri had hung up. Grinning triumphantly, Mamori put her phone away._

-- --

-- --

"Come on, Sena-kun!" Juri said happily, pulling Sena along with one hand, and holding her white purse with the other. Her hand had a vise-like grip on the boy's thin wrist, a merciless handcuff that had Sena wondering all over again why, why, _why_ in the world he had agreed to go to _Disneyland_.

A quick glance behind him revealed his innocent-seeming Mamori-nee, the instigator of this mess, following him and Juri at a more sedate pace.

Sena would have liked to blame the brown-haired girl, but Mamori-nee would never purposely harm him… right? (But then there were the times she did put him in danger – not on purpose.) Sena supposed that the torture he was being put through was unintentional. Which meant he couldn't really blame Mamori. But it also emphasized the fact that he _was_ going through torture; literally, if his already bruising wrist was any evidence.

The trio made their way through the crowd and over to the theme park entrance, skillfully maneuvering around the throng of people. Marching her way up to the ticket counter, Sena in tow, Juri had a determined glint in her eye and a purposeful step to her stride.

Handing over three all-day passes Mamori had given her earlier, Juri barreled her way inside.

"Sena-kun!" she squealed, gazing at the now visible amusement rides. "Which one should we go on first?"

For the first time since entering the theme park, Sena took the time to take on his surroundings. The first thing that hit him was the color. From the brightly colored buildings to the garishly dressed workers, the colors were quite blinding.

The next thing Sena noticed was the _noise_. Oh, the noise. Tourists yelled with excitement, children screamed happily, and vendors loudly announced their wares.

And again, there was a stifling crowd of people.

_Oh dearest Kami, save me from this hellhole_, Sena prayed. _I'm getting such a headache_.

To Juri, he said, "Er, I don't know, Julie-san, you can pick."

Juri scanned everything around her with a critical eye. Pointing a finger at the tallest rollercoaster Sena had _ever_ seen, she said, "How about that one?" Without waiting for a reply, Juri sped off, her hand still unfortunately wrapped around Sena's. With a yelp, Sena was, as always, yanked along.

"Mamo-chan!" Juri called, "Hurry up!"

Mamori, who had been following the pair from behind, paled as she saw the metal monstrosity, the sign in front of it proudly annoucing it as the _Cyclone._ "... Julie-chan, I think I'll pass on this one," she said with forced cheer. Kami, that thing looked _dangerous_!

Juri pouted, and Mamori assuaged the girl by saying, "Oh, don't worry about me! I'll just go and check out the..." she waved a hand towards a vague direction, "... cream puffs! Kariya's has a stand here!" And with that, Mamori dashed off. _Mamori-nee!_ Sena mentally wailed. Was she leaving him to fend for himself?

"Aww, what a party pooper! But that's okay, we'll have plenty of fun by ourselves, right, Sena?"

"Ehehehe..." Sena scratched his head nervously, fear evident in his eyes. "S-s-sure, Julie-san..."

It turned out that Mamori's VIP passes were the type that let them skip all the wait lines, bypassing all the other jealous and disgruntled customers, letting the two go straight to the front.

"Aah, g-gomenesai! Gomenesai, minna-san!" Sena apologized profusely when dirty looks were thrown his way. Juri, of course, ignored them all, concentrating only on the rollercoaster in front of her. The steel skeleton loomed over the pair forebodingly, and Sena shivered.

_Come to think of it, have I ever ridden a rollercoaster?_ the boy wondered. Mamori had taken one with him when he was a child, but that was years ago... and Sena hadn't enjoyed it very much. _I'm pretty sure I didn't like it... after all, I almost fell out of my seat and was that close to freefalling 100 feet from the ground... or maybe it was the fact that I vomited all of my lunch afterwards..._

A new fear instilled, Sena nervously asked, "Julie-san, are you sure you want t-"

"Sena-kun, isn't this great! We get to pick our seats first! Umm, I think we should sit either in the very first car, or the last one. What d'you think? Oh wait, you can't really see much in the last car, so let's go to the first one!" Juri's happy babbling drowned out Sena's words, and he had no choice but to follow the teal-haired girl.

Sena allowed Juri to climb onto the car before following her onto the red seats. Both teens strapped on their seatbelts securely, and settled down. The car was black with the word _Cyclone_ emblazoned on the side boldly in gold. After all the other seats were filled, the ride started.

Sena let out a tiny "eep" as the cars rolled forward on the track. His stomach gurgled unpleasantly as they approached the first drop. He closed his eyes as he felt a falling sensation overtake him, all the while trying to ignore Juri's excited screams.

"Isn't this so fun, Sena-kun?!" she yelled, right in his ear. Sena didn't reply. It wasn't as if she'd hear him anyway.

Wind rushed through Sena's hair as the coaster cars went up and down, circled in loops, and repeated the whole process again. As expected, Juri's screams were soon joined by other screams, both excited and terrified alike. He didn't dare open his eyes, afraid he would sick up. Or faint. Or something. At least he wasn't in danger of falling.

On one particular loop, Sena found himself glued to the seat one minute, and violently pushed against the safety bar the next. For one heart-stopping second, he even felt the car go over a skip in the tracks. _I don't want to die yet!_

After minutes that felt like hours, the ride stuttered to a halt. Sena woozily stood, his face a pale sickly green. He made his way over to Mamori, who'd come back from her Kariya stint and had been patiently waiting for him and Juri. She held out a waterbottle for Sena to take, a sympathetic expression on her face. She remembered very well what Sena had gone through on his first rollercoaster ride… yet she had allowed him to ride another one, and without her supervision, to boot! Sena sighed. Sometimes he really didn't understand his Mamori-nee.

He gulped down the water as if it were his lifeline, trying to settle his stomach. _And I still have to go through a whole day of this…_ he thought miserably. It suddenly dawned on him that with Mamori's VIP tickets ('_Where did she get them anyway? Maybe I'm better off not knowing…_' Sena had an unexpected vision of a cackling Hiruma, much to his horror), the trio would be able to go on more rides than they normally would, since they wouldn't have to wait on lines.

… Now Sena _really_ felt sick.

The next ride _looked _innocent enough, the main feature being a giant wheel with circle of seats outside. The sign in front dubbed it the _Power Surge_.

Juri stared up at it, eyes aglitter with wonder. "Doesn't it look _beautiful_?" she asked her companions.

"Er…" Sena stared at the teal-haired girl awkwardly, before turning to Mamori, who was… leaving? "Mamori-nee, where are you going?"

His sister figure grinned sheepishly at Sena, stammering, "A-ah! I, well, you see…" She bit her lip nervously. "U-um, I forgot to buy some cream puffs for you guys! See you later, have fun!" And she ran off.

Sena sighed.

Once again, he and Juri (her eyes were still sparkling) headed toward the front of the line, earning themselves disgruntled glances from other people.

Needless to say, after strapping himself in and bracing himself as much as humanely possible, Sena sat through torturous minutes of being spun, shaken, and whirled around (not to mention the fact that he was practically deaf from Juri's screams). Exiting the ride, he couldn't even walk in a straight line, his eyes swirling with dizziness.

And so the morning dragged on… and on… _and on… and on… and_ –

Sena's stomach growled. It was just about twelve o'clock noon, and following a bustling Juri was no ordinary task, Sena had started thinking. His feet ached slightly, he was sweating from the strong midday sun, and Mamori was nowhere in sight.

Yep, it was time for lunch.

"Ano, Julie-san, are you hungry?" he asked tentatively.

Juri, who had been scanning her surroundings for her next destination, paused. She glanced at her watch, eyes widening. "Oh! Is that really the time? Hm, maybe we should go get lunch now…"

Sena sighed in relief. _Food, oh glorious food…_

The pair made their way over to the food court, where they immediately spied Mamori. The brunette was sitting at a table by herself, munching on a cream puff absentmindedly.

Sena sweatdropped. Had she been sitting here all this time, _eating_?

Mamori caught sight of the two and waved them over. "Julie-chan! Sena-kun! Did you guys have fun?"

Juri bounded over to her friend like an excited puppy, a bubbly grin lighting her face. "Of course, Mamo-chan~! But it would've been better if you were with us," she added with a cute pout. The girl then proceeded to fill Mamori in on all the "super-cool fun rides" she and Sena had gone on. "… And then we got hungry, so here we are!"

"I see," Mamori said easily, nodding. "Well, I think you should get some food before poor Sena-kun starves…"

"Oh! Oops, sorry Sen-chan! Come on, let's get something to eat!"

--

--

Mamori bit her lip and sighed. All morning she had been trying to give Sena and Juri "alone time," just to see if they were… _compatible_, y'know? Because Sena truly needed a break, and who better to give him just that than the fun-loving Juri?

Mamori really hoped they'd gotten along well.

The two in question soon returned with sodas and trays of food: Sena with a burger and fries, and Juri with a club sandwich. They seemed to be in the middle of a conversation.

"… and even though they argue more than ever now, they've been working on a bunch of other new plays, too."

"Wow, Akaba-san and Koutarou-san must be even stronger now. And they were still really strong before!"

"Yep! Deimon'd better watch out, 'cuz Bando's going to be better than ever this year!"

Mamori mentally face-palmed. She was trying to get Sena _away_ from football, not let him talk about it even more! Although perhaps it _was_ her fault for inviting an amefuto manager…

"So-o-o, Sena-kun, what has Deimon been cooking up?"

"A-ano, Julie-san, I don't think I can really tell y–"

Slightly irritated, Mamori interrupted. "Hey, where are we going next? I haven't really gone on any rides, so…"

Juri perked up. "Wha!? You should've told us earlier, Mamo-chan!" She quickly polished off the rest of her lunch and said, "I think Sena-kun wanted to go play bumper cars, right?"

Sena nodded as he munched on fries. Now bumper cars, he could handle. Or, well, it was the only thing he was halfway decent at. But either way, it was something he enjoyed, and Mamori decided she might as well tag along with him and Juri.

A sudden thought struck the girl. Yes, Sena and Juri were talking about football, which wasn't on Mamori's list of Top Ten Conversations, but they were actually _talking_. They were _getting along_.

Amefuto was a common interest, wasn't it? A type of focal point for the two. How ironic.

Mamori giggled. Maybe this plan was working better than she'd expected.

--

--

It was four o'clock and Sena was tired. Mamori was looking a little haggard, too. After all, who wouldn't be, after riding bumper cars, then the Ferris wheel, another roller coaster, going through a haunted house… ?

_Oh wait_. Sena cast a glance up at Juri. _She's not exhausted at all_. Must have an endless supply of energy or something.

Sure enough, the teal-haired girl was still as hyper as ever, a bounce in her step and a beam on her face. "Mamo-chaan~! Let's go somewhere _really exciting_ next! These VIP tickets are the best!"

"Julie-chan, aren't you tired?" Mamori said. "How about we take a bre– "

"OH! What about that one over there!?" Juri pointed in a vague direction. "Let's go!" The girl started off with a dash, but screeched to a halt as a jingly tone rang. "Oh damn, who's calling me now?"

She rummaged through her purse and found her cellphone, checking the caller ID with narrowed eyes before flipping it open quickly. "What?" she asked, a growl in her voice, a tone completely different from when she had been talking to Sena and Mamori. _What a scary transformation_, Sena thought. _Kinda like Mamori-nee when her cream puffs are threatened…_

"I can't even leave you two alone forone day!?" Juri shrilled into the phone. "Honestly, I just ask for _one day's _vacation, and you can't even get along with Akaba enough t– _No_, I won't, n– GAH!" The people around Juri began throwing her oddly disturbed looks as the girl continued to shout into the mouthpiece.

Sena winced as Juri yelled a final "FINE!" and tossed her phone back into her purse. She turned to Mamori and Sena, face screwed up in a miserable pout.

"Ne, Mamo-chan, Sena-kun, I think I have to leave now. Koutarou-aho and Bakaba can't seem to _behave themselves_ at practice." She ground the last few words out with anger.

Although they'd never admit it, both Sena and Mamori breathed sighs of relief. Reluctant (on Juri's part) farewells were said as they made their way towards the theme park exit, and before they knew it, Juri had left, and Sena and Mamori were alone.

The two stared at each other. "Shall we go home then, or do you want to go on more rides?" Mamori asked.

Just the thought of going on another roller coaster made Sena back away. "Eheheh, home sounds good, Mamori-nee."

--

--

The ride home was silent. Sena, Mamori figured, was tired out of his wits. After all, it took inhuman stamina to keep up with Juri sometimes!... and unfortunately, she knew that from firsthand experience many times over.

As the pair exited the train and started walking towards their street, Mamori decided to interrogate her charge a little.

"Ano, Sena-kun…" Sena, whose eyes had been staring at the sidewalk, looked up. "Did you have fun today?"

"Of course, Mamori-nee. I haven't been to an amusement park in so long… it was really fun."

"What do you think of Julie-chan?"

Sena blinked. "Umm… what?"

"Do you think Julie-chan is nice? Would you want to spend more time with her?" Mamori knew that she was pushing at the subject, but she couldn't exactly ask straight out, _Do you think she'd make a good girlfriend for you?_ Nope, that wouldn't work at all.

"Julie-san is, ah… nice," Sena said thoughtfully. "She's a bit energetic."

Mamori winced. 'A bit' wasn't quite the right way to put it.

"She does remind me of you a little though, Mamori-nee."

"What!?" Mamori squeaked. Out of all the words she had been prepared to hear, that was _certainly_ not what she had expected. She reminded Sena of Juri…?

"Both of you are very kind, and are like my nee-chans." Sena smiled gently at his sister-figure.

"… Ah, I see." Mamori inwardly sighed. _She's like a nee-chan, huh?_ It seemed that Sena wasn't interested in Juri in _that_ way. _I'll think about it more tomorrow_, she told herself as they approached Sena's house.

Sena said goodbye to Mamori as he opened the house gate. Mamori waved and called out, "See you on Monday!" before heading towards her own house.

She had a lot of thinking to do tonight.

--

--

Sena fiddled with his pocket, pretending to find his house keys. Once he heard the quiet slam of a door, indicating that Mamori had entered her house, he turned around and went back outside the gate.

He quickly made his way down the road, feeling somewhat guilty. He'd old his kaa-san he would be back rather late, but Mamori-nee…

Sena was lucky Mamori hadn't wait for him to go inside his house. That would have caused quite the problem. Up until a year ago, she had wanted to "make sure he got home safely," before he convinced her not to.

Sena sighed. He really was tired; it'd been a long day, and the theme park had taken a lot out of him. He continued trudging down the street, wondering if _he_ was there waiting as promised…

The spiky-haired brunette rounded a corner, and Deimon High gradually came into view. As Sena walked up to the entrance gates, he noticed a tall man leaning against a wall. Immediately, all the fatigue was washed from Sena's bones.

He ran up to the man, arms outstretched to envelop his boyfriend in a hug.

.

* * *

A/N: Right. Let's pretend this chapter _isn't_ a whole month late, ne? Anyway, I'm in a super-happy mood right now, which means that I can update! Yay! School sucks, btw.

So, why am I so happy? I went to NYAF (New York Anime Fest) on Friday!! -squeals- It was actually my first time going to an animecon... I went there straight after school (sometimes going to school in Manhattan truly does have its benefits), but didn't get a weekend pass b/c I could only go that day... My wallet is still hurting from my shopping splurge, lol! But I actually didn't see any ES21 things though, which is really sad :(

If my happy mood persists, I might have another chapter up soon.

Thanks for sticking with me! Ja ne!

(this chapter isn't revised _at all_, so if there are too many spelling/grammar errors, or things that don't make sense, tell me, and I'll fix it up asap! :] )


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